This Paperbark Sawfly Lophyrotoma zonalis is another new species identified in the Reserve. Adult Sawflies are not often seen as they live only one to two weeks in which time they do not feed but mate and lay their eggs on leaves of Melaleuca species.

Share a unique view of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve with family and friends and support our ongoing restoration work and wildlife research.

The 2016 Photography Workshop was called Mount Gravatt lights up, so workshop leader, Alan Moore, has selected participants photos that show contre-jour techniques. Contre-jour techniques break the rules by shooting into the light. The photos chosen breathe new life into how we see the world around us in a new way.

A beautiful autumn Saturday morning and Griffith Mates – Sienna, Ben, Lily, Abraham and Larissa joined Roger and myself at Fox Gully Bushcare site. The team removed another large area of Fishbone/Sword Fern Nephrolepis cordifolia and installed logs on the slope to create a safe work space and control erosion.

When the team from FWR Group joined our Wednesday Bushcare in September 2010 to start clearing, the Fishbone Fern covered an area larger than the average Brisbane house block – approximately 1,000 square metres. By the time the FWR team returned six months later, in March 2011, natural regeneration had already restored a good coverage of native grasses like Ottochloa gracillima Graceful Grass. This Living Mulch of native grasses controlled erosion, suppressed weed regrowth, retained moisture and provided food for caterpillars of the Brown and Orange-streaked Ringlet butterflies.

Ben reaching Glider box with GoPro camera

By the time the Griffith Mates team finished another huge area had been cleared and stabilised with logs. Restoration work on the Fishbone infested areas of Zone 8 is now almost complete and with further help from Griffith Mates we expect to finish the weed clearing this year allowing nature to take over with the natural regeneration of local grasses, herbs, ferns and vines.

To finish the morning I showed the team how we check nest boxes installed to provide substitute nest hollows for birds and gliders.

We found the Squirrel Glider family in two boxes and the female Brushtail Possum is still living in the Kookaburra box. She was quite curious about the camera, reaching up to sniff the lens. It is a particular pleasure to share this wildlife experience with young people from places like Hong Kong.

On Christmas Day we noticed Kookaburras making regular visits to a nest box installed for Boobook Owls. Observing from the bush track, we watched as a parent Kookaburra landed in the entry of the nest box and heard a great chattering from inside as the parent bird’s head disappeared from view.

Later, using the go pro camera we were able to observe four Kookaburra chicks inside the nest box. Inspired by this finding, on Boxing Day we decided to investigate all the other nest boxes we had installed in the gully. This yielded three Glider boxes containing Gliders and two boxes containing Possums. The Possums were in a box intended for Pale Headed Rosellas and Kookaburras, proving that Possums don’t read nearly as well as do Gliders!!!

Including the nest box that the Lorikeets have used to hatch at least three clutches of chicks that we know of, this is a usage rate of about 75%…not bad for nest boxes that have only been in place just over a year.

Much of our work in restoring habitat in the Reserve is cleaning up damage done by easy to avoid action, like people dumping their garden waste in the bush when they could often simply put it into their wheelie bin.

Keeping our family cats inside at night takes a bit of effort. However it is still a relatively simple action that has huge benefits for our nocturnal wildlife like gliders and possums.

Gliders are one of the cutest of our Australian native animals. Sugar Gliders Petaurus breviceps and Squirrel Gliders Petaurus norfolcensis are found in Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve. Restoration work at Fox Gully Bushcare site includes installation of nest-boxes to provide habitat for hollow dwelling animals like gliders, possums and birds.

Southern Star – 20 Feb 2013 – page 8

So it was heart breaking to see the remains of a glider attacked by a domestic cat.

Sharing the story with the Southern Star is one way to help people think about doing things differently.